World XI field hockey team to play in Pakistan

By APD writer Muhammad Sohail

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 6 (APD) -- A World XI field hockey team will play two matches in Pakistan next month, an official announced on Wednesday.

Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Shahbaz Ahmad announced that the team will play two matches against the hosts on January 12 and January 14 in different cities of the country.

The World XI side will comprise players from top international teams including Argentina, Netherlands, Australia, Spain, and Belgium.

The team will play its first match in the southern port city of Karachi while the second match will be held in the eastern city of Lahore, said Ahmad, a

former Pakistan hockey captain and most celebrated forward of all times.

"We will be arranging grand functions at both Karachi and Lahore ", he said adding “Karachi’s match will be played under light and the match at Lahore will be a day affair ".

The tour will also be taken as an opportunity to convince international players to participate in the upcoming Pakistan Hockey League.

Pakistan recently successfully hosted a World XI side for cricket matches. The event was taken as a step forward to revive the international sports at home, which had stalled due to terrorist attacks in the country.

Ahmad said, on the sidelines of the matches, that former greats from Pakistan and other countries will also be celebrated in a PHF Hall of Fame program.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)